


The fox comes running

by LoLecter



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: A bit OOC in the end, Episode Fix-It: s02e13 Mizumono, Episode: s02e13 Mizumono, Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, Slash, alternative ending, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-02-19 00:10:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2367038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoLecter/pseuds/LoLecter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if when Will arrived at Hannibal's house Hannibal had still been fighting with Jack ? What would Will have done? Whose side would he have taken?<br/>Alternative ending with not Alana and no Abigail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The fox comes running

“When the Fox hears the Rabbit scream he comes runnin', but not to help. When you hear Jack screams, why will you come running?”

Ha had never actually answered that question. Mostly because he didn’t know at the time. If he had been forced to answer he would have probably lied. Hannibal would not have appreciated his hesitation and Jack even less. Or maybe Hannibal would have thought it interesting. It was hard to know with him.

When he arrived at the house he heard fighting. Glass being broken, grunt and screams. He didn’t need to see it to know who it was. Getting his gun out he entered the most discreetly possible and walked slowly toward the kitchen. He still had no idea what he would do at this point. He just knew that everything had gone to hell and two persons he cared about were in danger. Because of each others. He knew he wanted to stop it somehow and save... Jack? Hannibal? Both? He had to do something. What he saw in the kitchen was in no way unexpected, but it still took him a moment to assimilate the reality of what he was seeing.

Hannibal in a white shirt tainted with blood, looking incredibly disheveled and being pushed violently against a glass cabinet. There was no gun in view and a cooking knife on the floor. The serial killer as if being thrown against glass had not affected him at all was already back on his feet, waiting for the next attack. A fast glance to his right made him realize that the silhouette he had noticed in the corner of his eyes was Will Graham.

He did not know if he was happy to see him. Will had a gun and if he decided he was on Jack side Hannibal would be done for. He could not fight both of them at the same time. However, there was always the possibility that he would, no matter his past treason, chose Hannibal side. He had after all called to warn him.

Jack saw the killer look behind him and realized there was someone there. He risked a look and saw Will a gun in hand, soaking wet, looking more confused than ever. This was not good at all. Why had he not shot Hannibal yet?  
Will knew this instant that this would be one of those crucial moment he would look back to in the future and think “if I had done things differently my life would be totally different today”. His decision would shape the rest of his existence as surely as meeting Hannibal had changed his life. He did not have long to think.

Both men had now noticed him and were waiting for him to show which side he was on. They instinctively knew that none of them had his assured loyalty. What did he want? He wanted Hannibal safe and happy and Jack safe and... well not to hurt at least. It did not help him very much. It was not the question he should have been asking himself. He should be thinking “what is the right thing to do?” which was of course to shoot Hannibal, but not kill him and then make sure Jack was alright while waiting for the ambulance and the cops.

He did not like this option one bit. First, because he didn’t intend to wait for the cops no matter what. He had been to prison once, he was not going back. He was going to run, no matter what happened in that kitchen.

He could shoot Hannibal and leave, but what assured him Jack would not kill Hannibal if he left him alone with him? He was angry enough. He could decide to help him die of the bullet wound caused by Will. No, shooting Hannibal and running was not an option. He hated that he had come to care so much about the serial killer that he could not tolerate the idea of him dying or being hurt seriously. It was absurd. He and Hannibal tried to kill each other all the time. It was basically foreplay for them. Or just a hobby between friends depending on how you saw things. Still he felt like he did and he could not change it.

“Will” Jack almost begged him, looking his way for half a second. He looked at Hannibal waiting to see if he would say something too, but all he saw was a broken man. Will had broken his heart when betraying him and he did not dare to hope for his loyalty or love anymore. Hannibal glared at him with something that resembled curiosity. Or it would have if he had not looked so hurt at the same time. It was ridicule, he thought. The man had set him up and put him in jail. He had killed two people he cared about. He had betrayed his trust many times and in worse ways. Feeling sad or sorry for him was totally ridiculous. And yet...

What about Jack? Didn’t he feel sad for him? He could be killed at any moment. He had a wife who was dying of cancer. He deserved to have more time with her. At the same time even if Jack lived he would be put in prison leaving his wife to die alone. So what should he do? Shoot Jack and let Hannibal go? Force him to leave? Ask Jack to let Hannibal go? No, Jack would never do it. He would rather die. Well it was better than just shooting without advertisement at least. If Jack died or was wounded it would be his own fault for not letting go of his need for vengeance.

He could also just shoot them both in the leg, making sure they could not hurt each other and leave. No! He realized he didn’t want to shoot Hannibal. Shooting him meant him going to jail or dying and he did not want either of those options. He cared about this sadistic asshole too much to do that to him.

“Hannibal!” The name escaped his lips without his will. It was a part of himself begging to be told what to do. Begging to be convinced that he could do this. He could betray a colleague and friend to help a murderer escape.

Hannibal was taken aback at hearing his name pronounced in such a way. Like their position were reversed and Will was the one in danger begging for his help. He could not help it. He looked at the younger man. Damn Jack Crawford and what he could do. There was surprise, hope, love and confusion on his face. He was still very angry with Will until this moment, but hearing him beg like that, looking like a lost child... He fixed his gaze in the big blue eyes, fascinated by all they showed him. The internal conflict the Will was going through.

Will had only been there for 20 seconds, but it felt like it had been a lot longer. Things were like frozen. Everyone waiting to see who would move first. Jack was the one to break the waiting. Using the fact that Hannibal was looking at Will and had stopped watching him he jumped forward to hit the man. He succeeded in pushing him on the floor and just when he was about to hit him again and again he heard Will scream at him in a surprisingly firm tone:  
“JACK STOP! Let him go!”  
Making sure the murderer was immobilized before answering he said:  
“Are you out of your mind? Do you remember what he did to you? To Beverly? To Miriam?”

Will swallowed difficultly and kept his gun pointed at Jack. He had almost made his decision the moment he had seen the look on Hannibal face when hearing his name, but it had been seeing Jack attack the man that had truly decided him. No, he could not let him hurt him. His heart had stopped in his chest and he had realized what he had to do.

He didn’t answer Jack. They both knew he had not forgotten all the horrible things Hannibal had done, but how could he explain that it didn’t change anything. Yes, Hannibal hurt people. Yes, he was not a good person, but that didn’t change the fact that he knew him more than anyone else and had grown to care about him. He probably hated him as much as he loved him overall, but in that moment the love had taken the reign.

“I said: Let. Him. Go. Please Jack! I don’t want to hurt you.”  
He knew it was a lost cause. No matter how much he didn’t want to he would have to hurt Jack in order to save Hannibal. The black man looked at him horrified and desperate to make him understand what he was doing. Hannibal used the moment to hit Jack with his head and get out of his grip. Jack lost no time and tried to jump on the cannibal immediately again, even with what looked like a broken nose.

He didn’t even think about it. He simply did it. He shot Jack in the leg, the only place he could shoot him without risking touching Hannibal too. Jack screamed in pain and Hannibal punched him one last time before placing his arm around his neck to render him unconscious. The big man fought back, trying to get out of the hold, but it was a lost cause. In a minute he blacked out and his body went limp, falling on the floor.

Will lowered his gun a bit, shaking slightly. Hannibal stood up on his feet and looked at his friend. Normally, had he seen Will after the fight with Jack he would have stabbed him. Not to kill him. Just to wound him and punish him for his treason. Make him understand what he had done. Now, however, he didn’t know what to do and he didn’t like that. He always knew what to do. Would Will come with him if he asked? Did he still want him to come with him? Who was he trying to fool? Of course he wanted Will to come. He would always want Will Graham in his life. The man had become a part of him.

“Will!”  
He approached him slowly, his hands up to show him he meant him no harm. The empath lowered the gun completely and took a deep breath.  
“You should go. The cops are gonna be here soon.”  
He tried to sound calm and in control, but the shock of what he had just done was obvious in his voice.  
“Come with me Will. You are planning to run from the police already. Why not do it with me?”  
“I betrayed you. I did not kill Freddie. I tried to have you arrested. You don’t want me with you after that. Trust me.”  
Will had avoided looking at the man until then so he felt rather than he saw the hand to his cheek, cupping his face tenderly.  
“I know. I forgive you. Come with me.”  
Of course he knew. Why was he even surprised at this point?

“A big part of me still thinks you deserve to die or at least end up in prison. I will also probably have big urge to kill you in your sleep at times.”  
That made Hannibal smile.  
“As long as you don’t do anything about it you can think whatever you want.”  
“We both betrayed each other. How could we trust each other after that?”  
“We will have all the time we need to discuss those things if you come with me.”

Will looked straight in Hannibal eyes, all fear and doubt gone. The man took his hand off of his face, sensing it was no longer welcome.  
“I will come with you, but only if you answer this honestly. Why? Why do you want me to come with you?”  
“I...”  
Of all of the questions he could have asked, Hannibal had not expected this one. Answering it would mean admitting to something he had not planned on telling Will until much further in their relationship.

“Because I care about you.” He tried.  
“No, it’s not that. You care about Alana and yet you don’t want her to come with you.”  
He would not be allowed the easy way out then. Alright if it was what he had to do to keep Will he would do it.  
“You have become a part of me, Will. I do not wish to live a life where you hold no place.”

Will felt something melt in his chest. That sadistic, cannibal serial killer loved him. He had always suspected as much, but hearing it being confirmed was something else. There was something very nice about being loved by someone who didn’t love anyone. And being loved by someone you were not even sure could love anyone was even nicer somehow. Sure, Hannibal had the strangest way of showing his love he had ever seen, but that was part of the package and he had learned to appreciate it.... in a way.

Knowing for sure how the man felt for him he did not have the heart to refuse him. He loved him too even if sometimes he dreamed of strangling him to death and felt horribly ashamed about it(the love not the strangling).  
“Ok. Let’s go.”  
“You will come with me?” asked Hannibal surprised, as if he had not just said he would.  
“Yes. I can’t promise I will be the most agreeable companion, but if you still want me to come I will.”

The killer smiled and looked at him with so much joy for an instant his heart skipped a beat.  
“Try not to be too rude in public and everything should be fine.” He said smirking as he went to pick up his coat in the lobby. Will looked at him a bit dazed.  
“What will you do if I act rude in public? Eat me?” he asked trying to smirk back.  
Hannibal laughed as was putting on his coat.  
“Believe me Will, when I eat you it will not be in the same way I eat everyone else. You will be alive and enjoy it greatly.”

The younger man went red at the insinuation. Had Hannibal Lecter just talked about giving him a blow job? Judging from the way he looked at him wickedly he had understood right.  
“I have a car not far from here waiting for us.” He said casually and opened the door for him. He nodded and followed outside. It was raining, but he didn’t care. He could not help, but notice Hannibal looked very good so disheveled and wet from the rain. When had he started looking at him like that? When had their close and unusual friendship became this promise of more to come? He guessed it had always been coming, but it had been retarded by all the setting up and then trying to kill each other on a regular basis. Even with all of that the natural course of their relation had still happened and they were now at the stage where it was apparently ok to flirt openly with each other.

The car was not Hannibal usual car and there were two bags in the back. He entered it silently and let the man start it without any comment. Far away they heard the sound of cops finally arriving at the house. They had only left two minutes ago when Will said:  
“As much as I am sure I would enjoy you... _eating me_ greatly we should probably start by kissing at least... or something.”  
The psychiatrist erupted in laughter.  
“Are you saying you want to kiss me Will?”

“I am only saying we should not skip too much stages and kissing seems to me like a good place to start.” he justified himself feeling shy. Hannibal smiled at him.  
“You are right. We should start slowly.”  
And then he placed his right hand on Will’s hand. The empath felt as nervous as a teenager holding hands for the first time, but he still squeezed back and mixed their fingers together.  
“Good?” Hannibal asked.  
“Good.” He nodded back after a little hesitation.

“You know this” he pointed to their linked hand  "doesn’t mean I will not still be angry with you when you do things I don’t agree with: like killing innocent people.”  
“I would not have thought otherwise.”  
“But you don’t plan on stopping killing.”  
“No.”  
“I did not expect you to. As long as you’re honest with me about it I think I can deal with it.”  
“I will be honest if you are. Do you plan on being honest with me from now on Will?”  
“Yes” he answered without hesitation. “I don’t have any reason left to lie to you.”  
Hannibal made a pleased nod and started caressing his hand with his thumb.  
“In that case I don’t see any reason for things to go badly between us.”  
“It would be hard for things to go worse than they already did in the past. Considering.”  
“You would be surprised.” said Hannibal thinking about how things could have turned out.

**Author's Note:**

> I had not idea how or when to end it and I'm not sure they are very in character in the end, but well. I will let you judge.


End file.
